Chapter 238: Full of Opportunities All Over the Street

He Lingchuan's eyes glinted. "The Duke is right," he said.

Li Qingge remarked meaningfully, "Where there is power, there is money."

"I haven't taken office yet."

"But you are the eldest son of the He family, Steward He's primary heir, right by the side of great power," Li Qingge said with a smile. "You are close to power, so why not make good use of it in the future, Young Master He?"

He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow. "I like that!"

"If you have confidence in your own family and in Xiazhou, you can start buying things at low prices now," Li Qingge continued to advise. "At a time like this, the identity of Steward He's son is more useful than anything. Even if there's some resistance, it can be easily overcome. Once the crisis passes, these will all be golden geese laying eggs. Will you ever have to worry about money again?"

He Lingchuan stood up and bowed deeply to her. "That was truly enlightening. Thank you, Duke."

He had never done business before and lacked this particular insight. With Duke Songyang's guidance, he suddenly understood completely.

Indeed, everyone in Dunyu and Xiazhou wanted to curry favor with the new steward, but he was the only one who didn't need to.

Why not make good use of such an advantage?

Forget about fairness; a true gentleman knows how to leverage circumstances.

Li Qingge waved her hand. "It's nothing, just a few casual remarks. The shop next door is really good. Would you like me to help you acquire it?"

"Alright." He Lingchuan did not refuse this time. How could one navigate the world without getting involved in favors? He would find a chance to repay her later. "Then I'll trouble you, Duke."

He accepted the favor, and Li Qingge smiled with particular satisfaction.

He Lingchuan looked at her and sighed, "Why are you helping me so much, Duke?"

"As I said, I have good foresight," Li Qingge replied straightforwardly. "Songyang Manor's business philosophy is to invest in land as the lowest tier, in businesses as the middle tier, and in people as the highest tier. I have high hopes for Young Master He." She was willing to befriend him for this reason.

He Lingchuan chuckled self-deprecatingly, "It seems I'll have to start with the lowest tier of investment." Li Qingge let out a small laugh.

With everything discussed and an unexpected bonus, He Lingchuan stood up to take his leave.

Duke Songyang stood by the attic window, watching him cross the covered walkway below and return to the front hall. Then he asked the maid behind him, "Has Steward Zhao negotiated for the shop next door?"

"It's already been settled. The contract will be finalized at noon."

"Tell him to change the buyer to Young Master He. This contract must be sent to the He residence before dinner."

He Lingchuan went to the bank again and exchanged the 100,000 tael banknote for smaller denominations, both exact and fractional.

Then, he deliberately took a carriage and toured various parts of the city. Pedestrians on the streets hurried to and fro, with few smiles. Dunyu was very divided now; on the main streets, business seemed to be booming, with large restaurants packed with guests at night, but on the other side of the city, all industries were desolate, and people were filled with apprehension.

He Lingchuan had just passed by several grain shops, where long queues had formed at the entrances. Coincidentally, two shop assistants were placing "sold out" signs in front of the bins, and the common people who were too late to buy were greatly disappointed.

These were not good signs. He Yue had told his brother that there was actually no shortage of grain in Dunyu City.

Therefore, this sudden panic buying stemmed from fear and the hoarding of grain for future sale.

Oh, and also because the wealthy gentry had bought and donated grain a couple of days ago to curry favor with the new prefect.

He Lingchuan didn't believe his father couldn't see these issues, but the government didn't put much effort into appeasing the people. They only posted a peace-keeping notice, which was full of stiff, official language, and its ineffectiveness was predictable.

Before meeting Duke Songyang, He Lingchuan would only lament the cruelty of war. But after leaving the Songyang Manor branch, his perspective changed, as if gold and silver were beckoning to him on every street.

Not making good use of it would be a great disservice to himself.

At the He residence, renovations were still in full swing. He Lingchuan returned to his courtyard, but the rock wolf was nowhere to be seen again. Its hearing was too sensitive; it couldn't stand the endless clanging and banging, so it had simply gone out to play with He Yue's big black wolf.

He Lingchuan drank water while observing the "Blade Mountain" (his broken blade). He saw its color becoming increasingly golden, indicating that the broken blade was readily absorbing the tungsten-gold.

He was very much looking forward to the blade's transformation.

He Lingchuan touched the hilt of the blade and suddenly remembered the shop that the Pengcheng Department had specially exchanged for him.

Was this the broken blade hinting to him that he could follow suit in reality and solve his money shortage problems?

Unfortunately, he hadn't understood until Duke Songyang pointed it out.

"Sorry, I was foolish," he said. The blade surely understood him. "But next time you give a hint, could you be a bit more direct?" The broken blade, of course, did not reply.

Just then, the monkey leaped in from somewhere and knocked on the doorframe. "Sun Hongye is here, and he's brought someone with him."

It was almost He Lingchuan's doorman. Could it get an extra wage?

Sun Hongye walked into He Lingchuan's small courtyard, closed the door behind him, and pointed to the person he had brought. "Master, this is Shan Youjun."

He was one of the two private soldiers from the Li family whom Sun Hongye intended to recruit for He Lingchuan.

"After that incident, Jiao Tai was arrested, and Shan Youjun also left the private army. Neither of them is with the Li family anymore."

Shan Youjun immediately knelt down, declaring resolutely, "As long as Jiao Tai is rescued, I, Shan Youjun, am willing to serve Young Master like a dog or horse!"

His exaggerated movement pulled at the wound on his rear, making him grimace in pain. "Get up," He Lingchuan said, effortlessly helping him to his feet. Shan Youjun felt the other's strong power, which made him stand involuntarily, and he was slightly surprised.

This young master seemed to have some skills too.

He Lingchuan asked Sun Hongye, "Can Jiao Tai be released?"

"I've already found three or four eyewitnesses who can testify that it was someone else who pushed the pregnant woman into the rockery, not Jiao Tai," Sun Hongye said. "They've already gone to the prefectural yamen to give their statements and sign. Once the real culprit is apprehended, Jiao Tai should be released quickly."

He paused, then added, "The Li family will likely find out about my actions very soon."

"The one who pushed the pregnant woman was just a minor leader in the private army, a distant relative of Li Zhi. The Li family won't deliberately protect him at a crucial moment. If Li Shuang is smart, she'll bind him and send him to the yamen sooner rather than later." He Lingchuan smiled at Shan Youjun. "Don't worry, this matter will be handled quickly." For the past two days, Shan Youjun had been tormented by frustration and resentment over his inability to help. Yet, the Young Master He before him had casually decided the fate of two people with just a few words.

He was about to kneel again, but He Lingchuan grabbed his arm to stop him. "Alright, alright, with such soft knees, how can you work for me?" He then turned around and poured a cup of hot tea for each of them.

Sun Hongye accepted it calmly, while Shan Youjun was somewhat apprehensive.

"These next two days, you'll need to find another person to recruit for me," He Lingchuan instructed Sun Hongye again. "This person needs to be a seasoned veteran, someone who knows the social customs of Dunyu inside out, familiar with both the elite and the common folk, and able to casually bring up the gossip and family affairs of the four great wealthy gentry families. Someone like..."

He thought for a moment, then came up with a comparison: "Like Assistant Liu in Shihan City."

Sun Hongye had only become a retainer just before He Lingchuan left Shihan, and had only met Assistant Liu once or twice, but he clearly understood what "assistants" of that kind did.

"Master wants an assistant skilled in Dunyu affairs?" "That's a good summary," He Lingchuan said, wagging his index finger. "More than that, this person must also be proficient in business and capable of handling financial matters on my behalf."

He could foresee that the main theme of his future life would be cultivation or warfare. Where would he find time for business?

Therefore, he needed a suitable manager.

Upon hearing this, Shan Youjun suddenly said, "I have someone to recommend."

"Tell me." Right, this fellow was also a local.

"He's the former steward of Third Master Shu, surnamed Ding, called Ding Zuodong. He's a native of Dunyu and has lived here for over forty years. When Third Master was alive, Ding Zuodong was solely responsible for all the family's procurement, purchases, and arrangements, ensuring everything was perfectly in order. Among all the Shu family masters, his household was the most organized and respectable."

"Later, after old Master Shu died, Third Master, lacking self-awareness, tried to contend with the eldest brother but failed, and was subsequently ostracized. Two years later, Third Master Shu went on an errand out of town and drowned in a river. The Shu family then found an excuse to drive Ding Zuodong out."

"Ding Zuodong found several jobs subsequently, but the Shu family sabotaged all of them. He's been extremely depressed, and has even been thinking of taking his family south these past few days. That would be a real shame."

Sun Hongye asked, "What's his character like?"

"He's good," Shan Youjun said. "Right after Third Master Shu died, an old gentry from Daji Village in the south offered him a very high salary to be his steward. Ding Zuodong didn't go because Third Master Shu had left behind a widow and three children. As far as I know, after Ding Zuodong left the Shu family, he even arranged and transferred the last of Third Master Shu's assets."

He Lingchuan nodded, then suddenly asked, "How do you know all this so clearly?"

"Among the stewards under the four great families, they are often discussed and evaluated the most. Ding Zuodong's reputation is actually quite good," Shan Youjun coughed lightly. "Also, he's my maternal uncle. I originally came from Youxu County in the north, and I came to Dunyu to seek refuge with him."

He Lingchuan smiled. No wonder.

"Then how come he was a steward in the Shu family, while you were a private soldier in the Li family?" He asked, referring to them being in two different households.

"When I arrived in Dunyu, he had just been driven out by the Shu family," Shan Youjun sighed. "He couldn't even take care of himself, which is why he found someone to get me into the Li residence."

He and Sun Hongye exchanged glances, and the latter nodded slightly.

He Lingchuan then said, "It's fine to recommend relatives. Go back and talk to him. If he's willing to work for me, have him come for an interview tonight."

Shan Youjun was overjoyed. "Great, I'll go right now!" After bowing, he exited.

Sun Hongye said to He Lingchuan, "Master returned beaming. Did you have any significant gains outside?"

This young man was very observant. He Lingchuan then recounted Duke Songyang's pointers.

"That's very true. I should have thought of it sooner," Sun Hongye reproached himself after listening. "Opportunities are everywhere on the streets, and I was blind to them?"

"Your talent doesn't lie in making money," He Lingchuan burst out laughing. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have spent so much time in Shihan just earning a few more patches."

An afternoon quickly passed.

Before dinner, Steward Zhao from Songyang Manor arrived and presented He Lingchuan with a box.

Inside was the contract for the shop next to Songyang Manor. He Lingchuan still needed to go to the relevant department to register the contract and make a record before the property would truly belong to him.